Portable elevator for tobacco sticks

ABSTRACT

A tobacco stick elevator having a pair of transversely spaced uprights with plates joining the top and bottom ends of the uprights. A motor driven endless conveyor chain passes around sprockets on the top and bottom plates. Longitudinally spaced socket bucket structures are fixed on the chain for removably receiving sticks loaded with tobacco leaves. Step units are fixed longitudinally along the uprights extending from one side thereof. A carriage is fixed on the uprights on the other side thereof adapted to ride on a track on a horizontal beam. A spacer frame is provided to hold the uprights away from a vertical supporting surface. Looped handles are also provided for protecting the motor mounted on the bottom plate.

United States Patent Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee PORTABLE ELEVATOR FOR TOBACCO STICKS 9 Claims, 12 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 198/131,

187/16, 187/95, 214/55 Int. Cl 865g 15/00 Field oiSearch 198/131,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,344,889 10/1967 Stewart, Sr. 2 l4/5.5(X) 3,478,865 11/1969 Vogel .1 214/5.5(X)

Primary ExaminerEvon C. Blunk Assistant ExaminerAlfred N. Goodman Att0rneyPolachek and Saulsbury ABSTRACT: A tobacco stick elevator having a pair of transversely spaced uprights with plates joining the top and bottom ends of the uprights. A motor driven endless conveyor chain passes around sprockets on the top and bottom plates. Longitudinally spaced socket bucket structures are fixed on the chain for removably receiving sticks loaded with tobacco leaves. Step units are fixed longitudinally along the uprights extending from one side thereof. A carriage is fixed on the uprights on the other side thereof adapted to ride on a track on a horizontal beam. A spacer frame is provided to hold the uprights away from a vertical supporting surface. Looped handles are also provided for protecting the motor mounted on the bottom plate.

PORTABLE ELEVATOR FOR TOBACCO STICKS This invention relates to new and useful improvements in conveyor type lifts or elevators for sticks of tabacco, and more particularly to a lift or elevator which may be conveniently and effectively employed for raising sticks of green tobacco to the top of a barn for curing.

Ordinarily three workers are necessary for handling the tobacco sticks in their travel from a tobacco looper to a barn but by using the lift of the invention only two workers are needed, one to place the sticks on the lift conveyor and the other to remove the sticks from the conveyor and hang them in the barn.

A principal object of the present invention is to ease, simplify and expedite the tobacco stick lifting procedure so that it can be carried out with convenience and eff ciency and with the employment ofa minimum amount of labor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a conveyor type lift for tobacco sticks which is of a portable nature so that it can be easily and unobstrusivcly transported from one site of operation to another.

The elevator chainis motor driven and another object of the invention is to provide means for automatically interrupting the operation of the chain driven motor when a stick of tobacco leaves approaches the top of the elevator so that there is no possibility of the tobacco stick being dumped over the top when for some reason it is not manually removed as soon as it reaches its elevated position.

Various objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification together with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the portable lift or elevator embodying the invention shown in operative position.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the plane of a line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the plane of line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the plane of line 4-4 of FIG. I.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the plane of line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the plane of line 6-6 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the plane of line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on the plane of line 8-8 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a perspective detail view of a bracket shown-in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken on the plane of line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the plane of line 11-11 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary detail view partly in elevation and partly in section of the trackway and associated parts.

Referring in detail to the various views of the drawing, in FIG. 1 a portable conveyor type lift or elevator such as may be used for raising sticks of green tobacco to the top of a barn for curing is shown and designated generally as 10.

The lift 10 comprises a framework consisting of a pair of spaced elongated tubular light metal extrusion molded uprights 12,12 joined at the top by a rectangular metal plate 14 extending across the space between the uprights and joined by a plate 17 across the space at the bottom end thereof. A tubular member 18 similar in construction to the uprights 12,12 is supported along the top end edge of the plate 14.

Each upright 12,12 and horizontal tubular member 16, as best seen in FIG. 11, includes a flat base portion 18, one end of the base portion terminating in a flat wall 20 extending at right angles thereto, a short outwardly extending flange 22 and a slightly curved wall 24 extending from the end of the flange 22. Wall 24 terminates in an inwardly extending flange 26 formed with-a hook 28 at its end. The other end of the base portion 18 terminates in a short straight wall 30 continuing into a slightly curved wall 32 which terminates in an inwardly extending flange 34 with a hook 336 at its end. The inwardly extending flanges are opposed to each other but spaced apart leaving an opening or clearance 38 therebetween. The curved wall 32 is formed with an inwardly extending integral flange 40 in line with the flange 22 of wall 20. The inner end offlange 40 is formed with a hook 42. An integral flat bracket 44 is formed on the base portion 18 in line with wall 30 thereof. The bracket is provided with a plurality of spaced slots 46 for receiving fastening elements and the base portion 12 is formed with a plurality of holes 48 for receiving the fastening elements. The uprights 12,12 are adjustably and slidably connected to the plate 14 by means of bolt and nut assemblies 50 extending through the closed slots 46 in the brackets 44. The horizontal tubular member 16 is fixedly secured along the top edge of the plate 14 by means of bolt and nut assemblies 52.

A series of steps or rung units 54 is mounted in spaced relationship on the uprights 12,12 across the space therebetween. The steps or rung units are supported by bracket assemblies 56 that radiate angularly from the uprights 12,12. Each bracket assembly 56 includes an elongated extrusion molded rectangular platelike arm 58 having a flat body 60 bent slightly at one end 62 thereof and bent abruptly at the other end 64. The end 62 has a pair of holes 66 for fastening the plate arm to the bracket portion 44 of the upright 12 by means of bolt and nut assemblies 68 extending through the holes 46 in the bracket 44 of the upright 12 and through the holes 66 of the bracket arm. The other bent end 64 of the arm 58 is fastened to a tubular member 70 molded by extrusion process by means of bolts 72 extending through holes in said end 64 and through aligned holes in the tubular member 70. The tubular member 70 seats on an integral flange 74 formed on the end 64 of the arm 58. The tubular members 70 are disposed perpendicularly to the body of the arm 58.

Each step or rung unit 54 comprises a flat rectangularshaped plate 76 with a corrugated top surface 78. The plate is formed with an integral upstanding flange 80 along one long edge thereof and with an integral downwardly extending flange 82 along the other long edge thereof. At its upstanding flanged long side edge, the plate is formed with a downwardly extending plate 84 disposed at a slight angle to the vertical. The free end edge of the plate 84 is formed with a head 86 therealong. The head is formed with a grooved portion 88 opening upwardly and with another grooved portion 90 opening laterally as viewed in FIG. 7.

The flange 82 at the other end of the plate 76 is formed at its long free end edge with a head portion 92 formed with a grooved portion 94 opening laterally toward the groove 90 in the head 86 of plate 84. A plate 96 is disposed underneath plate 76 at an angle to the horizontal with one long side edge thereof fitted in the groove 94 in the head 92 of the flange 82 and with the other long side edge fitted in the groove 90 in the head 86 of plate 84. The plates 76 and 84 are extrusion molded. The flange 80 of plate 76 is fastened to flange 44 on upright 12 by means of bolt and nut assemblies 104 extending through aligned holes in the flanges. A headed bolt extending through the clearance 38 in the upright 12 and through the hole 48 in the base portion 18 and through the groove 88 in the plate 84 secures the plate 76 to the upright 12.

An extrusion molded carriage 106 substantially trapezoidal in plan is fastened to the flange 100 on the beam 102 and is disposed along the flange opposite the step or rung 54. The carriage 106 comprises a plate 108 with tapering end edges 110 between the long side edge 112 thereof and the short side edge 114 thereof. A downwardly extending flange 116 is formed on the short edge 114. A plate 118 extends from a point adjacent the long edge 112 downwardly and terminates in a flange I20 aligned with the flange 116 on the short side edge. The flange 120 is fastened to the flange 100 by means of bolt and nut assemblies 122 extending through aligned holes in the flanges 100 and 120. A pair of slightly spaced downwardly extending outer and inner flanges 124 and 126, respectively, depend from the long side edge 112 of the casting. The flanges 124 and 126 are formed with spaced pairs of aligned holes 128 forming bearings for the stub shaft 130 of wheels 132, the peripheries of the wheels protruding below the bottom ends of the flanges 124 and 126.

In accordance with the invention, mechanism is provided for raising or elevating elongated sticks 134 loaded with green tobacco leaves 136 from a point adjacent the floor 138 of the barn to a point adjacent the roof thereof (not shown). The loaded sticks are placed across beams 140 of a rack with the leaves 136 suspended. For this purpose, an endless chain 142 moves through the uprights 12,12 through the horizontal tubular member at the top and across the space between the bottom ends of the uprights. At the top, the chain passes over sprocket wheels 144 fixed on the plate 14 at the top corners thereof, and at the bottom passes over a sprocket wheel 146 carried at one end of an arm 148, the other end of the arm being pivotally connected to a pivot pin 150 extending from bottom plate 17 and over a sprocket wheel 152 fixed on the bottom plate 17. The arm 148 and sprocket wheel 146 permit 1' adjustment of the tension on the chain 152. A coil spring 154 urges the wheel 146 against the chain taking up the slack in the chain.

Carried along with the chain 142 and fixed thereto is a series of spaced bucket socket structures 156 each structure adapted to receive one end of a stick 134 with the tobacco leaves 136 thereon for carrying the loaded sticks from the floor of the barn to a point above the top of the lift or elevator as shown in FIG. 1. Each socket structure 156 includes a bucket body 158 welded to one end of an arm 160, the other end of the arm being pivotally connected to a perforated ear 162 secured to a link of the chain 142. The bucket body comprises a boxlike casing having a bottom wall 166, sidewalls 168, rear wall 170, top wall 172 and being open at the front. The top wall extends only part way over the top of the body. A link member 174 has one end pivotally connected to the top wall of the bucket body and its other end pivotally connected to the bifurcated end of an elongated bearing block 176, the other end of the block being pivotally connected to the chain by means of stub shafts 178 extending through perforated ears 180 fixed to a link ofthe chain.

An electric motor 182 is mounted on the bottom plate 17 and is operatively connected to a source of electric motive force by means of conductors enclosed in a cable 184 having a plug 186. A switch 188 mounted on the plate 17 controls the motor. Sprocket wheel 152 is operatively connected to the drive shaft of the motor and is driven thereby for moving the chain 142 around the lift. The conveyor chain is driven in one direction so that the chain has an ascending run on one side and a descending run on the opposite side of the framework. A pair of looped handle bars 189 is fastened at their ends to the bottom ends of the uprights 12,12 for protecting the motor and for manipulating the lift.

As shown in FIG. 2, means are provided for automatically interrupting operation of the motor 182 when a stick of tobacco approaches the upper end of the elevator so that the stick does not become dumped over the top if for some reason it is not manually removed as soon as it reaches the elevated position. These means comprises a micro switch 190 mounted on the rear surface of the top plate 14 along one side thereof and operatively connected to the motor 182 by means of conductors 192. An elongated arm 192 is pivotally connected at one end to the switch 190 and extends outwardly across the chain in the path of movement of the arm 160 when the arm approaches the upper end of the elevator. The switch 190 is normally closed and is wired in series with the on and off" switch 188 for controlling the motor 182. Switch 188 is manually operated and when both switches 188 and 196 are closed, the motor 182 is in operation and the conveyor chain 142 is driven. However, when a stick 134 of tobacco approaches the top of the elevator, the arm 160 of its supporting bucket 156 comes into engagement with the arm 192 of the switch 190 and moves the arm 192 against button 196 of switch 190 causing switch 190 to open thus interrupting the flow of current to the motor and automatically stopping the elevator. The button 196 of the switch 190 is spring biased and as soon as the weight of the stick and tobacco is removed from the bucket, the switch 190 automatically closes and operation of the motor 182 is resumed until the next tobacco stick comes into position at the top of the lift.

A spacer frame 198 is mounted on each upright 12 adjacent the bottom end thereof. The frame 198 comprises an elongated flat bar 200 with short bars 202,202 radiating from the ends thereof. The free ends of the short bars are fixed to the uprights 12,12 thereby supporting the elongated bar 200 spaced from the uprights holding the lift away from the beams 140.

In operation, the lift 10 is positioned in upright position across the beams but spaced therefrom by the frames 158. The carriage 106 is placed on a trackway 204 fixed on one of the beams 140. The trackway comprises a plate 206 secured across the face of the beam by nails 208 extending through holes in the plate. Plate 206 is formed with an integral perpendicular flange 210 at one end thereof, the flange serving as a track. The flange 210 is formed with an upwardly and outwardly extending flange 212 and the plate 206 is fonned with an inwardly extending flange 214 opposite flange 212. The wheels 132 of the carriage are placed on the track 210 between the flanges 212 and 214.

A workman climbs to the top of the elevator by way of the rung units 54 and steadies himself by placing one foot on the rung unit and the other foot on a beam 140, as shown in FIG. 1. Another workman at the bottom of the elevator feeds loaded sticks 134 to the chain 142 by inserting one end of the stick into the socketed bucket 156. When the stick with its load of tobacco leaves is inserted into the socketed bucket, the switch 188 is manually operated turning on the motor 182, whereby the chain is driven by the motor upwardly carrying the stick to the workman at the top of the elevator. The workman removes the loaded stick from the socketed bucket and places the stick across an adjacent pair of beams with the leaves suspended between the beams as shown in H6. 1.

The elevator 10 may be moved along the beam 140 by grasping a handle 216 on plate 14 and pulling the carriage 106 along the trackway 204. The socketed buckets 156 rise loaded with sticks and tobacco leaves and return downwardly empty for future loading.

We claim:

1. A portable elevator for tobacco sticks comprising an upstanding framework including a'pair of transversely spaced uprights; plates across the top and bottom ends of the uprights; spaced step units at longitudinally spaced points along the uprights extending from one side thereof; an endless conveyor chain passing around sprockets at the upper and lower ends of said uprights; motor means on the plate across the bottom ends of the uprights for driving the chain in one direction, whereby the chain has an ascending run and a descending run at the opposite side of the framework; and tobacco stick receiving socket bucket structures at longitudinally spaced points on said chain, whereby tobacco sticks supporting tobacco leaves may be conveyed upwardly, a carriage device mounted on the uprights on the side opposite the steps and opposite the topmost step, said carriage device including a plate trapezoidal in plan with a flange along the short side edge thereof attached to the uprights; a pair of closely spaced flanges extending from the other long side edge of the plate; and wheels supported by and between said pair of spaced flanges, the peripheries of the wheels adapted to ride on a trackway mounted on a horizontal beam.

2. A portable elevator for tobacco sticks comprising an upstanding framework including a pair of transversely spaced uprights; plates across the top and bottom ends of the uprights; spaced step units at longitudinally spaced points along the uprights extending from one side thereof; an endless conveyor chain passing around sprockets at the upper and lower ends of said uprights; motor means on the plate across the bottom ends of the uprights for driving the chain in one direction, whereby the chain has an ascending run and a descending run at the opposite side of the framework; and tobacco stick receiving socket bucket structures at longitudinally spaced points on said chain, whereby tobacco sticks supporting tobacco leaves may be conveyed upwardly, the socket bucket structure comprises a bucket body having bottom, side, top and rear walls and being open at the front to receive one end of a stick loaded with tobacco leaves.

3. A portable elevator for tobacco sticks as defined in claim 3 wherein the socket bucket structure further comprises an elongated arm having one end pivotally connected to the chain; a link connected at one end to the top wall of the bucket body; and a block pivotally connected at one end to the other end of the link, the other end of said block being pivotally connected to the chain.

4. A portable elevator for tobacco sticks as defined in claim 2, and means for automatically interrupting operation of said chain'driving means when a tobacco stick approaches the upper end of the elevator.

5. A portable elevator for tobacco sticks as defined in claim 2, and means for automatically interrupting operation of said chain driving means when a tobacco stick approaches the upper end of the elevator, said motor means including a manually actuated switch; a microswitch connected in series with the manually actuated switch; a button on said microswitch for opening the same; an arm connected at one end to said microswitch and movable into and out of contact with said button, said arm being disposed in the path of movement of a portion of said socket bucket structure, whereby the arm is moved against the button opening the microswitch and thereby opening the circuit through the motor.

6. A portable elevator for tobacco sticks as defined in claim 5, wherein the uprights each comprises an elongated tubular extrusion molded body having a flat base portion, one end of the base portion terminating in a flat wall extending at right angles thereto; a flange on the end of said flat wall, said flange terminating in a curved wall; a flange on the other end of said curved wall; a hook on said latter flange; a short straight wall extending at right angles in one direction from the other end of the base portion, said short wall continuing into a slightly curved wall; a flange on the free end of said curved wall; a hook on the latter flange; and a flange extending from the other end of said base portion in a direction opposite to said short wall, said latter flange being slotted to receive fastening eleme nts.

7. A portable elevator for tobacco sticks as defined in claim 6, and spaced looped handle bars on the plate across the bottom end of the uprights surrounding the motor means on said plate for protecting said motor means.

8. A portable elevator for tobacco sticks as defined in claim 7, and spacer frames on the uprights adjacent the bottom ends on the side opposite the looped handle bars for holding the lift away from a vertical supporting surface, each frame comprising an elongated bar disposed parallel to the uprights, and bars extending from the ends of said elongated bar and fixed on the uprights.

9. A portable elevator for tobacco sticks as defined in claim 1, and a handle on the plate across the top of the uprights for manually moving the elevator along the horizontal beam. 

1. A portable elevator for tobacco sticks comprising an upstanding framework including a pair of transversely spaced uprights; plates across the top and bottom ends of the uprights; spaced step units at longitudinally spaced points along the uprights extending from one side thereof; an endless conveyor chain passing around sprockets at the upper and lower ends of said uprights; motor means on the plate across the bottom ends of the uprights for driving the chain in one direction, whereby the chain has an ascending run and a descending run at the opposite side of the framework; and tobacco stick receiving socket bucket structures at longitudinally spaced points on said chain, whereby tobacco sticks supporting tobacco leaves may be conveyed upwardly, a carriage device mounted on the uprights on the side opposite the steps and opposite the topmost step, said carriage device including a plate trapezoidal in plan with a flange along the short side edge thereof attached to the uprights; a pair of closely spaced flanges extending from the other long side edge of the plate; and wheels supported by and between said pair of spaced flanges, the peripheries of the wheels adapted to ride on a trackway mounted on a horizontal beam.
 2. A portable elevator for tobacco sticks comprising an upstanding framework including a pair of transversely spaced uprights; plates across the top and bottom ends of the uprights; spaced step units at longitudinally spaced points along the uprights extending from one side thereof; an endless conveyor chain passing around sprockets at the upper and lower ends of said uprights; motor means on the plate across the bottom ends of the uprights for driving the chain in one direction, whereby the chain has an ascending run and a descending run at the opposite side of the framework; and tobacco stick receiving socket bucket structures at longitudinally spaced points on said chain, whereby tobacco sticks supporting tobacco leaves may be conveyed upwardly, the socket bucket structure comprises a bucket body having bottom, side, top and rear walls and being open at the front to receive one end of a stick loaded with tobacco leaves.
 3. A portable elevator for tobacco sticks as defined in claim 3 wherein the socket bucket structure further comprises an elongated arm having one end pivotally connected to the chain; a link connected at one end to the top wall of the bucket body; and a block pivotally connected at one end to the other end of the link, the other end of said block being pivotally connected to the chain.
 4. A portable elevator for tobacco sticks as defined in claim 2, and means for automatically interrupting operation of said chain driving means when a tobacco stick approaches the upper end of the elevator.
 5. A portable elevator for tobacco sticks as defined in claim 2, and means for automatically interrupting operation of said chain driving means when a tobacco stick approaches the upper end of the elevator, said motor means including a manually actuated switch; a microswitch connected in series with the manually actuated switch; a button on said microswitch for opening the same; an arm connected at one end to said microswitch and movable into and out of contact with said button, said arm being disposed in the path of movement of a portion of said socket bucket structure, whereby the arm is moved against the button opening the microswitch and thereby opening the circuit through the motor.
 6. A portable elevator for tobacco sticks as defined in claim 5, wherein the uPrights each comprises an elongated tubular extrusion molded body having a flat base portion, one end of the base portion terminating in a flat wall extending at right angles thereto; a flange on the end of said flat wall, said flange terminating in a curved wall; a flange on the other end of said curved wall; a hook on said latter flange; a short straight wall extending at right angles in one direction from the other end of the base portion, said short wall continuing into a slightly curved wall; a flange on the free end of said curved wall; a hook on the latter flange; and a flange extending from the other end of said base portion in a direction opposite to said short wall, said latter flange being slotted to receive fastening elements.
 7. A portable elevator for tobacco sticks as defined in claim 6, and spaced looped handle bars on the plate across the bottom end of the uprights surrounding the motor means on said plate for protecting said motor means.
 8. A portable elevator for tobacco sticks as defined in claim 7, and spacer frames on the uprights adjacent the bottom ends on the side opposite the looped handle bars for holding the lift away from a vertical supporting surface, each frame comprising an elongated bar disposed parallel to the uprights, and bars extending from the ends of said elongated bar and fixed on the uprights.
 9. A portable elevator for tobacco sticks as defined in claim 1, and a handle on the plate across the top of the uprights for manually moving the elevator along the horizontal beam. 